Hazzard Suggests Money Was Offered to Prep Star

UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard suggested Tuesday that John Williams, former Crenshaw High School All-American who is now a freshman at LSU, was offered money last spring during his recruitment by other schools, although not by UCLA.

In Baton Rouge, La., Williams’ coach, Dale Brown, said: “We all know it (money) was (offered),” but added that he didn’t think Hazzard’s comments were directed at LSU.

Hazzard, who succeeded Larry Farmer last spring and became a late entry in the recruiting of Williams, made his comments extemporaneously at his media breakfast. This is what he said in a discussion of top freshmen players:

“John Williams is another story. Dale Brown has made him almost human. . . .

“John is a great player. He’s ready to go to the NBA. I saw last week where he had zero (points) in a game. I mean, he could fall out of bed and get 20 points. They were playing against a zone and they had him buried on the baseline. If John Williams was here, he’d be somewhere around the ball. He’s one of the greatest players I ever saw coming out of high school. . . .

“I talked to John (last spring). He was very receptive. My first statement to John was: ‘No money. We’re not going to pay you. I think it’ll be worth money to you to stay in L.A. and play in Pauley Pavilion and be a local hero.’

“And that was the end of that.”

Asked later if he was alleging anything against anybody, Hazzard said: “I don’t know anything. I don’t have any first-hand knowledge.”

Said Brown:

“I just think (Hazzard) said what was in his heart. If that’s what he said, fine. I’ve been saying the same thing for 20 years. I applaud it. . . . “You’d have to be on the planet Uranus not to think that top athletes are getting offers of money and other things. . . . I applaud him for it. I hope he keeps that attitude. I’m not offended by anything he said. I don’t think it has any relationship to LSU. . . .

“There’s an old saying by Abraham Lincoln: ‘If I tried to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop would be closed for all other business.’ ”

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Williams has started all season at forward. He leads the Tigers in rebounding with a 7.1 average, in minutes played and in blocked shots, and he is second in scoring with a 14-point average, in shooting with a 55.1 percentage and in steals.